Method of obtaining cores and instrument therefor



Oct. 31, 1933. s. H. WILLISTON METHOD OF OBTAINING CORES AND INSTRUMENT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l 'IIII/IIIII/II/l/IIIIII R 0 R 2 5 6 7 H Z 6 a 5 Oct. 31, 1933. s w L sToN 1,932,612

METHOD OF OBTAINING CORES AND INSTRUMENT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

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Oct. 31, 1933. s H, WILLISTQN 1,932,612

METHOD OF OBTAINING CORES AND INSTRUMENT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 31, 1933. s. H. WILLISTON 1,932,612

METHOD OF OBTAINING CORES AND INSTRUMENT THEREFOR Filed Nm r. 29, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FM .4 C.

FIG. 4/].

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF OBTAINING CODES AND INSTRUMENT THEREFOR Samuel H. Williston, Dallas, Tex, assignor to Sperry-Sun Well Surveying Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application November 29, 1930 a Serial No. 499,016

This invention and method designed for taking side walls of bor 42 Claims.

relates to a coring instrument cores from the e holes.

dip of geological formations there is described ance of this method and is hereafter described detail.

The broad object of the invention is the provision of a devic e and method for taking cores from the side walls of a bore hole, being specifical ly capable not only of coring soft formations but also rocks of har d varieties.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device by which indication of the direction of the axis of a core taken thereby may be obtained; and

by which the orientation of the core may be ascertained when the core is of good quality.

Another object of the invention relates to the provision of means forsimultaneously taking a plurality of cores and, more specifically, for giving indications of the directions in which the cores are taken.

One specific object or the device is the pro- Further objects of the invention, relating particularly to details of construction, will be apparent from the following descriptionof a preferred modification of the nature indicated above,

' referen ings, in which:

being had to the accompanying draw- Fig. l is an elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an a thereof; Figs. 3A and xialsection through a portion 3B are complementary figures showing the coring portion of the apparatus in axial section, certain-portions being shown'relatively angularly rotated for clearhess, and Fig.

.33 being a continuation of the bottom of Fig.

' as; and

Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C are complementary figures illustrating a mud control jar adapted to be used in association with the apparatus; Fig. 43 being a continuation of the bottom of Fig. 4A, and Fig. Fig. 40 being a continuation of the bottom of Fig. 4B.

The disclosed apparatus includes several features forming the subject matters of applications of S. H. Williston and C. R. Nichols, Ser. No. 400,479, filed October, 18, 1929, entitled Well surveying device and G. L. Kothny,-Ser. No. 4'74,-

687, filed August 12, 1930, entitled Well survey-- ing instrument, to which applications reference may be made for more complete disclosure of these features.

Figure 1 shows the general assembly of the apparatus which is carried by the end of a drill stem by means of which it is lowered to the desired point in the bore hole and operated, the lowest section of the drill stem consisting, in the form illustrated, of the mud jar designated broadly as 2 and illustrated in Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C. The lowest section of the drill stem is threaded into a swivel head 4 which through the medium of ball bearings hereafter described supports the corer casing 6 carrying the cutters 8, 10 and 12 and enclosing the operating mechanism therefor. The corer casing is joined either directly or through an intermediate member 14 with the casing 16 enclosing a well surveying instrument 18 and batteries 27 for its operation.

The casings 6 and 16 and the instrument 18 within the casing 16 are held in fixed predetermined angular relationship, suitable markings 23 being provided to guide an operator in securing proper alignment, and similar means being provided between casing 16 and instrument 18.

The instrument 18, shown in section in Fig. 2, is of the type illustrated and claimed in the application of Williston and Nichols'modified for operation on the end of a drill stem, as described and claimed in the above mentioned Kotlmy application. The instrument comprises a casing supporting a motion picture camera 20 capable of photographing simultaneously in both directions and utilizing film intermittently fed by means of a motor 21 and a, suitable Geneva or equivalent mechanism. The camera is arranged to photograph a pointer 22 moving adjacent a fixed scale and held oriented by a gyroscope 24. A chronometer 26 is simultaneously photographed whereby a record is made from which the depth at which the photographs are produced may be ascertained if a suitable record is made of corresponding times and depths at the surface. The

pointer, scale and chronometer are intermittently illuminated while the film is stationary by lamps 28 which are caused to fiash by devices controlled by motor 21. Above the camera and photographed simultaneously with the lower instruments, is a level 30 illuminated by a lamp 32 in the same circuit as lamps 28.

While the Williston and Nichols application shows an instrument designed to produce exposures of the film at short intervals, since the present device is relatively slow in operation it is preferable to use the apparatus as modified in accordance with the Kothny application by the use of a clockwork em 84 which produces intermittent operation of the motor 21 so that exposures are produced only at relatively widely spaced intervals.

The details of the coring mechanism within the casing 6 are illustrated in Figures 3A and 3B. The swivel head 4 supports the casing 6 through the medium of ball bearings as indicated at 36. The use of antifriction bearings at this point is necessary since the coring cutters are operated by rotation of the drill stem and the swivel head 4 relatively to the stationary casing 6.

If friction is properly eliminated between 4 and 6, it is comparatively easy to maintain casing 6 stationary in the bore hole during rotation of the drill stem to effect coring. This may be accomplished in several ways. If the apparatus is to operate in the bottom of a hole, a fish tail bit may be secured to the casing of the well surveying instrument. Engagement of this with the bottom of the hole will prevent rotation. If the apparatus is to operate in an intermediate portion of a hole, suitable pivoted dogs may be provided on the casing 6 to engage the walls of the hole and prevent rotation. Or a device similar to a wall packer may beused to lock the casing. Of course, the coring cutters additionally serve to prevent rotation after they engage the walls of the hole.

Secured to the head 4 so as to rotate therewith is a shaft 38, mounted in bushings 40 carried by easing 6, and formed hollow to provide for the free circulation of mud. Keyed to the shaft 38 is a bevel gear 42 meshing with a bevel gear 44 carried by an internally threaded cylindrical nut 46 journalled in. the casing for rotation but being held against axial movement. Splined to the hub of gear 42 so as to rotate therewith but be capable of axial upward movement, is a bevel gear 48 meshing with a rotatable but axially fixed bevel gear 50 having a splined connection with the cutter sleeve 52 which carries at its inner end a threaded portion 54, initially out of mesh with, but pressed against, the end of nut 46 by a small spring 56.

The cutter sleeve 52 carries the cutter ring 58, suitably provided with diamond, stellite, or similar cutters. The cutter ring 58 provides, together with a ring 59 carried by the sleeve 52, an annular groove receiving a flange 61 formed on the annular core retaining sleeve 60 which carries a pin 63 extending into a longitudinal groove formed in the stationary sleeve 62 carried by the core removal cap 64 fixed in the casing. The sleeve 62 forms a support for the cutter sleeve and the parts associated therewith. The spline arrangement formed by the pin and slot connection between the sleeves 60 and 62 permits sleeve 60 to move outwardly with the cutter 52 and enclose a core cut thereby but prevents its rotation. The sleeve 60 partakes of the longitudinal movement of the cutter by reason of the means reception of flange 61 rotatably between rings 88 and 59. The elements 52, 58 and 60 make up the upper cutter previously designated as a unit 8. Removal of cap 64 makes possible the complete removal of the entire cutter assembly.

The gear 48 is shown in its initial lowermost position to which it is forced by spring 68 in which threads 66 carried by its hub are out of mesh with internal threads 70 carried by the clutch member '12 pressed downwardly by spring 74 to engage teeth carried by it with teeth '16 formed on the fixed element 77. The teeth on 72 and 77 are similar and in the form of shallow waves which by reason of the action of spring 74 normally interlock to prevent rotation of 72 but which ride over each. other upon the application latter retracted when the former occupies the position illustrated.

Below the cutter 8 just described is a bevel gear 86 meshing with gear 44 and secured to a hollow shaft 88 equivalent to shaft 38 and serving to transmit operating power to the mechanism associated with the intermediate cutter 10. This mechanism is identical with that associated with the upper cutter and is therefore not described in detail, the corresponding elements being readily recognizable, for instance, gears 90 and 92 correspond exactly with gears 42 and 44, etc.

From the cutter 10 motion is transmitted to the lower cutter 12 which forms other than a right angle with the instrument axis. For effecting this, the bevel gear 92 meshes with the bevel gear 94 formed integral with an internal gear 96 journalled in the casing. The teeth of gear 96 mesh with pinions 98, rotating on fixed axes, which in turn mesh with a central pinion 100 carried by hollow shaft 102 which has formed on its lower end a pinion 104 corresponding with gear 42 and meshing with the gear 106 corresponding to 44. A gear 108 splined on the shaft 102 meshes with gear 110, these gears corresponding with 48 and 50 respectively. The hub of gear 108 is threaded at 112 so as to be engageable with threads 114 on clutch member 116 provided with teeth engaging fixed teeth at 118. All of these parts will be recognized as having their counterparts in the mechanisms associated with cutter 8. The latch mechanism 123 is similar to that associated with member 78.

Each of the sleeves 60 is provided with one or more small core-retaining inwardly spring pressed hooks 124.

In Figures 3A and 3B, the cutters 8, 10 and 12 have been shown in the same plane for the sake of clearness in illustrating their operating mechapositely from shaft 38. This, of course, necessi- In the preferred form tates reversal of threads, etc. The use of the gearing 96, 98, 100 produces a higher speed of rotation of shaft 102 compensating for the small gears 104 and 108 required by reason of the position of cutter 12. The arrangement is such that this cutter is operated at the same speed as the others.

To secure proper control of the-flow of mud there is preferably included in the drill stem a mud jar illustrated in Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C, this jar being located either directly above the coring instrument as illustrated or elsewhere in the stem. The Jar, in one preferred form, consists of an internally threaded coupling 130 arranged to receive the lower end of a' section of the drill stem, this coupling being secured to a mud feed tube 132 perforated with holes 134. To the lower end of the tube is secured a seat 136 having a square opening through which slides the square bar 138 threaded at its lower end into the coupling member 140 which is arranged to be connected by threads 142 either to the coring instrument or a lower section of drill pipe. Passages 146 join the space about the bar 138 with the opening 148 in member 140.

The upper end of the square bar 138 has a cylindrical head 150 forming a piston sliding within the tube 132. This head not only serves to close oil various holes 134 but also acts by engagement with members 180 and 136 to limit the relative sliding movements of the upper and lower portions of the device. A slot 152 in the head 150 permits flow of mud through the uppermost holes 134 when the jar is collapsed.

Secured to the member 140 and extending outside bar 138 and tube 132 is a sleeve 154 in the upper end of which is shrunk a ring 156 which slides on the tube and is effective in selectively opening the various holes 134 either to the well or to the space within the sleeve. The operation of the, mud control jar will be hereafter described.

In operation, the instrument is lowered to the desired depth on the end of a drill stem and held in position by a bottom lock or wall lock. The drill stem is then rotated in the proper direction, all of the operations being eflected without change of the direction of rotation. Since all of the cutters operate in substantially the same manner and simultaneously, only the operation of cutter 8 will be described.

The ratio of gears 42 and 44 is slightly greater than the ratio of gears 48 and 50 so that upon rotation of shaft 38, sleeve 52 will rotate in the same direction but faster than nut 46. As a result threads 54 will be engaged with the threads of nut 46 by spring 56 and will then advance in the latter threads producing a slow-outward movement of the cutter. Since the cutter is rotating at the high speed of gear 50 and advancing only very slowly because of the slight diiferential speed of gears 44 and 50, the proper conditions for the cutting of a core are provided, the core being cut from the formation at vthe side of the hole.

This action continues until the enlarged threaded end of sleeve 52 engages gear 50, jamming thereagainst. If there now occurred no yielding of any elements the mechanism would break. However, it will be noted that gear 48 is held in mesh with gear 50 under the action of spring 68. Furthermore the teeth of these gears are so formed that as soon as resistance is encountered by gear 50 the teeth of gear 48 ride over those of 50. As this occurs threads 66 engage threads 70, the clutch member 72 moving upward against the action of spring 74 until the threads mesh whereupon gear 48 threads itself into the now stationary clutch member. When the limit is reached (by the engagement of flange 79 with the clutch member) the clutch member and gear 48 rotate as a unit, the teeth of 72 then riding over the teeth of 77.

As gear 48 moves upwardly, it rocks member 78, which moves latch 82 to engage it with notch 85 and thereby arrest the motion of the gear 50 and sleeve 52. Since the relative. rotation of the nut and cutter is'reversed, continued rotation of the nut then effects the rapid withdrawal of the cutter until the inward movement ceases by reason of the disengagement of threads 54 from the nut. It will be noted that the diiferential speed is now quite high. The rotation of the drill stem is continued until it is certain that the cutters have been withdrawn, whereupon the instrument is raised, the cores removed and the device, since, if the cutter encounters unusualresistance to its outward movement the same series of actions will occur as normally occur at the end of its movement, that is, the teeth of gear 42 will ride over the teeth of gear 44, etc., and the cutter will be withdrawn.

The control of the mud flow and its functions will now be described. To effect proper cutting of cores, it is necessary that mud be fed to the cutters to act as alubricant during the cutting and also carry the cuttings away with the regular mud stream and thence to the surface. Without such flow it is impossible to take rotary cores from the walls of the holes in any but the softest formations. For this purpose, the shafts 38, 88 and 102 are made hollow and connected with each other by annular passages about the cutters. These annular passages are in turn connected by suitable holes with the interiors of the caps 64, the holes in the caps being indicated at 65. From this it will be seen that the mud entering the shaft 38 will circulate outwardly through the stationary sleeves, about the cores, and over the cutters, during the coring operation.

The object of the mud jar is to insure the proper flow of mud during the various stages of the procedure. First, the entire assembly is lowered with the drill stem to the bottom of the hole and the weight of the stem allowed to rest on the jar totally collapsing the upper and lower parts whereupon the pumps are started. Since the ring 156 will now be above the uppermost holes 134 and since the head 150 will engage coupling 130, all the mud must pass into slot 152, through the uppermost holes 134, into the annular space within sleeve 154 and thence through 148 to the core barrels. This provides the full pressure of the pumps to clean out any debris or scrapings which may have entered the core retaining sleeves on the trip down the hole.

After a few minutes the drill stem is lifted a and the drill s setin rotation. Ii -r onefourth to one-tenth of the fluid now passm through the core barrel sleeves and the remainder escapes into the hole and returns to the surface. This serves to keep the wall of the well in good condition and provides a sumcient safety factor so that there is little danger of sticking the drill stem in the'well above the Jar.

After the rotation of the drill stem has con== tinued until the cutters are approtely twothirds to three-arc of the way out either of two alternative puree y be adopted. First, if the walls of the well in good cotton, the p may be shut down entirely, the rotation be ing continued until the cutters have all returned to the core barrel. Alternatively the s may be further lifted to cut off all circulation from the cutters by bringing the ring 156 to a position below the lowermost holes 134 whereupon flow takes place into the well only. The rotation is then continued until the cutters are completely retracted. While the device is being lifted to the surface all mud flow is cut ofi from the coring unit and the mud which is contained within the stem is free to pass out into the well as the pipe is lifted. This is a very important feature as it prevents the hydraulic head of mud from pressing against the cores and tending to blow them out of the retaming sleeves.

In brief, there are three essential positions of the parts of the control jar, two of which are definite and the third of which is variable. When the jar is fully collapsed all the mud must go through the core sleeves and clean out any material which may have collected therein. When the jar is fully extended all mud pressure is cut or? from the core sleeves. The intermediate positions, of which there are several, control the amount and pressure of the mud fluid passing through the cores. This is variable as in difierent formations different pressures and amounts of fluid are necessary for the most emcient cutting.

As the cutting head cuts the core, it pulls the non-rotating sleeve to over the core. The core retainer, breaker and marker 124 then drags along the surface of the core marking a groove therein while the core is still attached to the wall of the hole. When full penetration is reached and the cutter sleeve starts back, the member 12 grips the core breaking it from the wall and thereafter retaining it within the sleeve 60. If the cores thus taken are of good quality the grooves serve to locate their positions about their own axes and their orientation may be determined from the readings of the well surveying instrument. lnthis case only one core would be necessary, the various cores forming checks against one another.

On the other hand, if the rhings do not remain or the cores are broken, the dip and strike of the encountered formations relative to the hole may be determined from measurements of the three cores as described in the Nichols application, this being followed by a correction of the results in view of the inclination and direction of the bore hole in order to ascertain the true dip and strike of the formations as referred to the usual geographical system of coordinates. It may be noted, as pointed out in the Nichols application, that these results may be obtained even though the core may have broken up in the cutters and the parts may have rotated relatively to each other, if it is possible to measure the anname in glee between the strata planes and area all the cores.

While there has n described in detail an elaborate form of instrument, it will be obvious that numerous modifications are wi the of such axis, the second case being illustrated by cutter l2 and the last case being accomped in an obvious fashion'by the provision of suit= able power tratt geg.

As a further modification, an ent may be designed to produce a single oriented core.

The orientation of one or more cores in c where a high degree of acccy is not required may be accomplished by means of gnetic or other ometers t the one illustrated. For examplaorienting means such as that illustrated in my application Ser. No. 44,155 may be provided. it will be obvious that in soft foations it is unnecessary to provide a rotary cutting arrangement and consequently the sleeve oa might be used only to project a non-rotating sleeve such as Gil provided with sharp edges into the wall, the sleeve 52 being itself cut short and not adapted to eflect a cutting action. in this respect it will be seen that the specific mecha disclosed es an improved arrangement for projecting cutters in the fashion illustrated in my said prior application. It will also be clear that the apparatus of the prior application y be associated with a gyroscopic surveying instent.

- Various other mcations, particularly of meccal de 1:111 will be apparent to those skilled in the art and within the scope of the folio cla.

What it claim and desire to protect by letters Patent is:

l. A coring device including a body pted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter provided with an ular cutting edge, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, and withdraw it into the body with a core contained therein said withdrawal taking place automatically without special surface control.

2. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, project it from the body in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored, and withdraw it from the body with a core contained therein said withdrawal taking place automatically without special surface control.

3. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stern, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stern without axial movement thereofwhen the body is stationary and arranged to rotate the cutter, and project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored.

ltd

4. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means operated byrotation of the drill stem without axial movement thereof when the body is stationary and arranged to rotate the cutter, project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, and withdraw it into the body with a core contained therein.

5. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem without axial movement thereof when the body is stationary and arranged to rotate the cutter, and project it from the body in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored.

6. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem without axial movement thereof when the body is stationary and arranged to rotate the cutter, project it from the body in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole, to engage a formation to be cored, and withdraw it into the body with a core contained therein.

'7. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter and project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, said means including elements operable when the cutter meets predetermined resistance to its outward movement to effect its withdrawal into the body.

8. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a borehole, a cylindrical cutter, driving means arranged to rotate the cutter and project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, and means limiting the outward movement of the cutter, said driving means including elements operable when the cutter reaches its outermost position to effect its withdrawal into the body.

9. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, driving means arranged to rotate the cutter and pro.- ject it from the body to engage'a fornntion to be cored, and means limiting the outward movement of the cutter, said driving means including elements operable when the cutter reaches its outermost position, or when it meets predetermined resistance to its outward movement, to effect its withdrawal into the body.

10. A sampling device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a plurality of sample collectors, and means for projecting the collectors rectilinearly from the body to engage a formation to be sampled, said collectors being projected in nonparallel directions.

11. A sampling device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a plurality of sample collectors, and means for projecting the collectors simultaneously and rectilinearly from the body to engage a formation to be sampled, said collectors being projected in nonparallel directions.

12. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a plurality of cylindrical cutters, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutters and project them from the body to engage a formation to be cored, said cutters being projected in nonparallel directions.

13. A coring device including a body adapted ranged to rotate the cutters and project them to enter a bore hole, a plurality of cylindrical cutters, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutters and project them simultaneously from the body to engage a formation tqbe cored, said cutters being projected, in nonparallel directions.

14. In combination, a coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a plurality of cylindrical cutters, and driving means arfrom the body to engage a formation to be cored. said cutters being projected in nonparallel directions, and means for indicating the orientation of the body at the time the collectors are projected.

15. In combination, a coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a plurality of cylindrical cutters, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutters and project them simultaneously from the body to engage a formation to be cored, said cutters being projected in nonparallel directions, and means for indicating the orientation of the body at the time collectors are projected.

16. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem without axial move ment thereof when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a formation to be cored.

1'7. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem without axial movement thereof when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a formation to be cored and withdraw it into the body with a core contained therein.

18. A coring device including a body adapted 115 to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem without axial movement thereof when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored.

19. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, and driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem without axial movement thereof when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored, and withdraw it into the body with a core contained therein.

20. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem when the body is stationary 135 to project the cutter from the body to engage a formation to be cored, and means held against rotation by elements carried by the body for marking the core during the coring operation.

21. A coring device including a body adapted 14C to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem when the body is stationary to rotate the cutter and project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, a sleeve held 145 against rotation by elements carried by the body and movable with the cutter to slide over the core during the coring operation, and means for marking the core carried by the sleeve.

22. A coring device including a body adapted to 15 bill enter a bore hole whensupported by a drill stem, a cutter, driving me operated by rotation or the drill stem when the body is stationary to rotate the cutter and project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, a sleeve held against rotation by elements carried by the body movable with the cutter to slide over the core during the coring operation, and means for marl:- ing the core carried by the sleeve, said'last named .r is being adapted to break the core from the formation at the end of the coring operation.

23. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem when the body is stationary to rotate the cutter and project it from the body to engage a in nation to be cored, and a sleeve held against rotation by elements carried by the body movable with the cutter to slide over the core during the coring operation.

24. A coring device inclu a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a stem, a cutter, driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem when-the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a formation to be cored, passages providing for a flow of mud to the cutter during operation, and means for controlling such flow.

25. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a l stem, a cutter, driving meansoperated by rotation of the drill stem when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a fotion to be cored, passages providing for a flow of mud to the cutter during operation and me for controlling such flow, said last named means being arranged to selectively cause flow of mud to the cutter or directly to the bore hole.

26. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stern, a cutter, driving means operated by. rotation of the if stem when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a fortion to be cored, passages provi for a flow of mud to the'cutter during operation, and means for contro Y such flow, said last named means be arranged to subdivide the flow of mud to cause predete 1-1- ed amounts to flow to the cutter or directly to the bore hole.

27. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a formation to be cored, passages providing for a how of mud to the cutter during operation, and means for controlling such flow, said last named means being arranged when the coring device rests on the bottom of the bore hole to cause sub stantially all of the mud passing through the drill stem to flow to the cutter.

28. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole when supported by a drill stem, a cutter, driving means operated by rotation of the drill stem when the body is stationary to project the cutter from the body to engage a formation to be cored, passages providing for a flow of mud to the cutter during operation, and means for controlling such flow, said last named means being arranged when the coring device is suspended by the drill stem to cut off flow of mud to the cutter.

29. The method of taking cores from formations encountered by a bore hole including lowering into the bore hole a coring device, producing mesa-era a how of mud under high pressure into the device to clean the operating the co device to take a core from a fotion while reducing the pressure of mud how to a predeter= mined degree by ustment of the me supporting the coring device, removing unbal hydrostatic head of mud fromthe core, and raising the coring device to the ace.

30. The method of taking an oriented core from formations encountered by a bore hole including lowering into the bore hole a coring device, operating the coring device totake a core from a formation at the side of the bore hole by a rectilinear cutting movement, marking the core during the taking of the same and prior to its sevso erance from the formation, and raising the coring device to the surface.

31. The method of taking an oriented core from formations encountered by a bore hole including lowering into the bore hole a coring device, operating the coring device to take a core from a formation at the side of the bore hole by a rectilinear cutting movement, marking the core during the taking of the same and prior to its severance from the formation, recording the orienliiii tation of the device during the coring operation, and raising the coring device to the surface.

32. The method of taking an oriented core from formations encountered by a bore hole including lowering into the bore hole a rotary coring device, 11% operating the coring device to take a core from a formation at the side of the bore hole by an axial movement of a rotating cutter, m. the core during the taking of the same and prior to its severance from the formation, and raising the lit) coring device to the surface.

33. The method of taking an oriented core from formations encountered by a bore hole including lowering into the bore hole a rotary coring device, operating the coring device to take acore from a 1115 formation at the side of the bore hole by an axial movement of a rotating cutter, marking the core during the tamng of the same and prior to its severance from the formation, recor the orientation of the device during the coring opera- 112% tion, and raising the coring device to the surface.

34. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, and project it from the body in a direction transverse 1125 to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored, said driving means including a rotary element fixed against axial movement in the body and splined to the cutter to impart rotation thereto.

35. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, and project it from the bodyin a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored, said driving means including a rotary element fixed against axial movement in the body and splined to the cutter to impart rotation thereto, and devices imparting a slow advancing axial movement to the cutter during its rotation. M0

36. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a. cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, and pro- ,iect it from the body to engage a formation to be cored. said driving means including a rotary element fixed against axial movement in the body and splined to the cutter to impart rotation thereto.

3'7. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and 5 hit till

driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, and project it from the body to engage a formation to be cored, said driving means including a rotary element fixed against axial movement in the body and splined to the cutter to impart rotation thereto, and devices imparting a slow advancing axial movement to the cutter during its rotation.

38. A side wall drilling apparatus including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a rotary cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, and project it from the body at substanti a right angle to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation, said driving means including a shaft extending longitudinally within the body, the cutter when within the body lying across the axis of the shaft.

39. A side wall drilling apparatus including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a rotary cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter and project it from the body to engage a formation, said driving means including a rotary element fixed against axial movement in the body and splined to the cutter to impart rotation thereto.

40. A side wall drilling apparatus including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a rotary cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter, project it from the body slowly during its rotation to engage a formation, and withdraw it rapidly following the drilling operation, said operations taking place automatically without special surface control.

41. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter and project it from the body at substantially a right angle to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored, said cutter being of a length approximating the thickness of the body and arranged to lie within the body at substantially a right angle to the axis of the body.

42. A coring device including a body adapted to enter a bore hole, a cylindrical cutter, and driving means arranged to rotate the cutter and project it from the body in a direction transverse to the axis of the bore hole to engage a formation to be cored, said driving means including a shaft extending longitudinally within the body, the cutter when within the body lying across the axis or the shaft.

SAMUEL H. STON. 

